Devices, systems, and methods related to controlling machines using operator control units and programmable logic controllers

A method of controlling a machine in a system including a stationary programmable logic controller positioned at a location of the machine, and a portable operator control unit having a user interface and a wireless interface, the programmable logic controller including a WiFi radio interface, the operator control unit remote from the machine and the programmable logic controller, the method comprising:

• receiving, via the user interface of the operator control unit, one or more telecommands from an operator for controlling the machine, each telecommand allowing the operator to control movement of the machine;
• transmitting, by the wireless interface of the operator control unit, a message directly to the WiFi radio interface of the programmable logic controller without another control unit between the portable operator control unit and the programmable logic controller, the transmitted message based on the one or more telecommands received via the user interface;
• receiving, at the WiFi radio interface of the programmable logic controller, the message transmitted by the operator control unit;
• and
• transmitting, by the programmable logic controller, one or more control signals to the machine to control movement of the machine according to the message transmitted by the operator control unit, wherein the system does not include any machine control unit separate from the operator control unit and the programmable logic controller;
• wherein:
• the message transmitted by the operator control unit includes multiple data elements including a source, a target, a cyclic redundancy check, and a timestamp;
• the programmable logic controller includes an add-on profile;
• and
• the method further comprises decoding, by the add-on profile, the multiple data elements to interpret the one or more telecommands.

A programmable logic controller comprising:

• a WiFi wireless interface configured to receive a message transmitted directly to the WiFi wireless interface by a wireless interface of a portable operator control unit located remote from the programmable logic controller, the message including one or more telecommands received via a user interface of the operator control unit, each telecommand allowing the operator to control movement of the machine;
• a machine interface configured to transmit one or more control signals to a machine to control movement of the machine, the programmable logic controller positioned at a stationary location of the machine;
• and
• an add-on profile configured to:
• decode and interpret the one or more telecommands in the message transmitted by the operator control unit;
• and
• transmit one or more control signals to the machine to control movement of the machine according to the one or more telecommands, wherein the programmable logic controller does not receive the message transmitted by the operator control unit via any machine control unit separate from the operator control unit and the programmable logic controller;
• wherein:
• the one or more control signals include multiple data elements including a source, a target, a cyclic redundancy check, and a timestamp;
• and
• the add-on profile is configured to decode the multiple data elements to interpret the one or more telecommands.